Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-02-09
ON A RICE PLANTATION.
Manner In which h Fields arc Flooded
A Picturesque Sight.

manner In Whicn tho reius arc floodeo.
A Picturesque Sight.
As o as the germ root pushes out
underneath the grain in search for food
a minute point is visible above the ground
reaching up for light and air. This is the
embryo stalk and corresponds with the
germ root. The plant is now in the
proper stage for forcing and the stretch
water should be put on at once. The
water Is at first turned on deep, entirely
covering the surface Of the squares and
the young plant, drinking in the life CIV
ing fluid, commences to rear its head
aloft and reach up for light and air. The
river water is seldom clear-always moro
or less tinged with midland the ten
der shoot battles manfully with its semi
translucent covering to bask in the COM
forting rays Of the sun.
After the rice has become sufficiently
stretched, or a few inches high-a period
extending through from two to ten
days-the water is Stacked down to what
is known as ''slack water gauge" 80 AZ
to show the tops Of the plant and give il
necessary air and sunshine. II the plant
is longer than the water is deep, which is
generally the case, it floats its upper
leaves on the surface in long waving
lines across the squares-a singularly at
t~ractive and beautiful picture. 1t seldom
happens, however, that the whole planta-
ton is under the same treatment at the
same time, for with 500 or 600 acres to
SOW, it is a difficult matter in spring.
with frequent Interruptions from rains
and bad weather, to seed down 80 large
an acreage in time for any n spring
tide for flowing. A large plantation will
run five or six drills and put in some
times sixty-five or seventy acres daily;
but ever with as rapid work as this it is
impossible TO get all in contemporaneous.
ly. Consequently is is a common thing
to see, perhaps, one-fourth Of the squares
under the stretch water, another fourth
under charge of the ''gun squad" wait
ing for the tender point To shoot; another
series under the sprout water and the re.
mainder in process of planting, all at
once. This necessarily adds greater in-
terest and diversity to the process and
prospect.
Sometimes, too, the rice comes up
mixed with volunteer" this is the pro-
duct Of the grain shaken out during the
previous harvest and scattered broadcast
over the land. This can generally BE- re.
moved by the hoe, but where it is very
thick sometimes necessitates replowing
and seeding, thus throwing late a por-
ton Of the crop. This volunteer rice is
hardy and prolific and externally similar
TO white rice, but the objection TO it is
that the berry is red and greatly reduces
the grade Of rice with which il is mixed.
besides totally uniting it for seed. To
destroy this obnoxious tare the fields are
sometimes thrown into dry crops for q
year or two, or kept under water for q
like time.
1t will be remembered that each square
is under separate control, and. excep,
where two or more are temporarily
united by the check hanks washing
through, can he flowed and drained in
dependently at the pleasure Of the planter
A walk over the hanks of a plantation al
this period is replete with interest; al
every step the "fiddlers" scurrying from
under your feet and ducking into their
holes, each n as he disappears waving
aloft in defiance his disproportionate
mauacle. Ionder are small squads Of
negroes in twos and threes, dragging
with long wooden rakes the floating
trash and stubble blown by the wind
in masses against the lee banks and
piling it ON the pathways. Over
there the rattle Of the grain drills ID
heard seeding down the few belated
squares. Here is the trunk minder with
his assistant hard at work repairing 9
leak. On the canal bank is the overseel
in consultation with the planter on hi
daily visit TO the fields, his little sail boat
rocking at the wharf down by the
quarter. Attention Is called 10 a defec-
tive trunk or a dangerous bank; stretch
water tomorrow, must be turned on
No. @ and No. 8, and sprout water let of
from II and 90. The long cord Of the
submerged thermometer is drawn in hand
over hand, its reading carefully taken
and the mean temperature Of the water
for the month in the overseer's handy
note book is compared with that of last
year and dependent operations deduced
and determined. From the high and
dry squares on the further side comes
the casual pop of the musket, while
f1ocks Of davis and hungry crows circle
overhead, awaiting their opportunity Ia
settle down on the ~sprouting grain. Ev.
erything works in its appropriate groove
AMI little is left to chance.
The stretch water is held at the slack
gauge from twenty to forty days when
the ''dry root and the leaves correspond
ing to it have put out. The amphibious
and pampered plant has now had enough
of its stimulating though strictly temper
ate Leverage, and is ready for a period Of